The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-07-15
The Farm.
Strawberry Culture.


everything about .it). What is the best
time to set them out? What is the
best fertilizer, &C., &c.
I will answer many Of these questions
in one by saying that there are many
things about the growth Of this plant,
as we'll as others, that we do not know
aud some that We probably never will.
For instance no two can agree as to the
cause of the failure of the crop the past
season, why they were cut short. A
rain storm may have destroyed the
pollen and prevented the later bloom
from setting berries, thus shortening
the season two weeks. We only know
tie result, cause uncertain. So with
other things about the business.
Some varieties do we'll on special soils
only, and so all may miss it in claiming
all the merits in one kind Of strawberry.
What are of no value here, may be best
upon sandy soil. I like to have q
variety, and to represent the whole Sc a.
son from earliest to latest. Then some
are pistillate varieties, that need to be
planted near others, with perfect bios
SONS.
Crescent Seeding holds the lead now,
as the Wilson did, and doing we'll in q
greater variety of soils than perhaps
any other. May King is seeding
from it, with perfect flower, but resem
bles its parent in fruit and growth of
plant, which is vigorous, and on this
account is desirable and have quan.
tity of them planted. Bidwell grows
we'll and was planted as especially early
but is not much ahead of others. Capt.
Jack resembles it in berry and had the
merit of fair sized fruit until the end
of the season but does not hold it's own
here, in growth and production. War.
rem has berries Of large size, very dark
and all ripen early. Longfellow is per.
haps larger and near the same color,
sometimes hollow, quite sweet and does
we'll with some where given special hill
culture.
Kentucky and Manchester continue
to produce large and fine berries. late.
when others are failing. Mt. Vernon
have grown but one season, planted it
for late but needs to be better known
to determine its value to me. The two
former are not very strong growers and
Manchester is pistillate in flower. Mt
Vernon grows better than either.
Sharpless continues to be q ramp ant
grower, and will produce large fruit,
when this strong tendency is repressed
by cutting off the runners close. When
this is not done fruit will be scarce. I
only use it to cross with Crescent and
others that have deficient stamens.
Parry has produced some fine fruit.
Of excellent quality or flavor, and large
size. Have not grown enough of them
to decide further. Jewell I bought at
q high price, but it propagates itself
very slowly for me and has not develop.
ed special merit.
JAS. Wick is a sort that grows strong.
ly, blooms very profusely, but ripens
only a small part of its fruit; they
blight or become very small; does bet.
ter for some. Belmont have growing.
1t is one of the latest introduction and
has large and healthy foliage. and is a
success in this way at least.
have abandoned many old ones,
and am constontly solicited to take hold
OF more new varieties, at high prices.
there is fascination in this last bust.
ness, for many of US, and people are
generally apt to value thing more, il
they pay q big sum for it, SO they msy
lose not 30 much in the end, if spurred
up to give extra attention to what they
plant.
l have given this much space to re.
marks about varieties as the time for
setting plants of this years growth is
now npon US, and the sooner it can he
done the better stools or beds Of plants
we will have for next seasons fruiting
| Plants that have fruited this season
are useless for the reSetting, would be
dear as a gift. Only those young ones
now striking root, in mellow soil, will
Thrive in new situation, 80 if you wish
to be penny ,Oise, dig out the best you
can find among the plants that have
fruited, and been tramped over in pick
ing SO that the ground is or was very
hard, and see if you can save the cost
of good plants by this labor.
II saving labor is any object, and q
good bed is desired at once, get plants
grown for you, in pots, from the nearest
available source, and as soon IS they
are we'll rooted, set them in we'll pre-
pared and enriched soil and with ordi
nary care 95 out of every 100 will
grow, even in dry time. These plants
. have thus from Glib. to 2 lbs. each, O
earth to live on, until the roots grow il
the new location, and this makes ex
press charges necessarily heavy or
them. and freight is too slow and un
certain, as they now do their business
/, Where freight on perishable plants il
) guaranteed or prepaid, they do not seen